In his seven-minute post-match press conference in Ahmedabad, after England were officially eliminated from the World Cup, Jos Buttler used the words frustrated, frustrated and frustration no fewer than nine times.
Frustration with almost everything about England’s truly terrible World Cup defense and in particular his own batting.
When things aren’t going well for you, even the simple things seem difficult and the England captain’s dismissal against Australia, on a night as England’s World Cup reign was coming to an end, summed up the story of his miserable tournament:
“My own performances have probably been the most frustrating,” Buttler said. “To sit here after the tournament I had is incredibly frustrating,” he added. “The frustration just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” he continued.
Against India in Lucknow last Sunday, Buttler had managed 10 off 22 deliveries before being undone by perhaps Kuldeep Yadav’s ball of the tournament.
Jos Buttler (right) and his England team have been eliminated from the World Cup
India’s Kuldeep Yadav celebrates England captain Jos Butler’s wicket with Shreyas Iyer
Australia officially ended England’s dismal campaign by recording a 33-point victory over their rivals
The kind of delivery that many a batsman would have bowled as he pitched outside off stump before grabbing off the field to spin through the fence and crash into Buttler’s middle stump.
So while Adam Zampa delivered a delivery that barely had a wingspan and which in most circumstances you would expect to send Buttler into the stands, his bat spun horribly as he made contact with the ball and his lopsided drive settled safely in the hands by Cameron Green at Long Away.
Maybe it was Zampa’s impact. In nine ODI innings against him he has averaged 8.6 and has now been bowled out five times, although Buttler put this down to poor execution and insisted he ‘failed to play the shot correctly’.
Maybe it was the pressure that had just been turned up a notch after seeing Ben Stokes play Pat Cummins in the previous match. Buttler said he ‘wanted to try and put some pressure back on the opposition’ with England 106 for three at the halfway stage.
Yet the equation was still more than manageable with 181 needed off 150 deliveries and seven wickets still in hand on a pitch where England knew the deeper they went into the match, the more chance they would have given the dew at the Narendra Modi Stadium .
Or it was ultimately the result of the captain’s weight on a confused mind. From the moment England named their World Cup squad and then decided it was not their final squad, Buttler was faced with decision after decision, from brutally informing Jason Roy that he would no longer be joining India to deciding to drop vice-captain. Moeen Ali after England’s opening day defeat. And that was all before England’s last five consecutive defeats since their only win here against Bangladesh 26 days ago.
It is no easy task to succeed Eoin Morgan, but the difference is clear.
While Morgan’s emotions were rarely visible behind his icy exterior, Buttler has visibly borne the pain of this campaign and as he made the long and lonely walk up the sheltered stairs and back to the dressing room he must have wondered if this weak attempt at World Cup defense could fall even lower. All chances are there, against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The defeat will increase the pressure on England captain Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott
England have struggled with the bat during their dismal defense of the World Cup title in India
When asked if the captaincy had taken a toll on his batting, Buttler denied before speaking further about his frustration.
“Of all the things that have happened on this journey, I would say my own form has been my biggest frustration because as a captain you want to lead from the front,” he insisted.
With just 106 runs in seven matches, an average of 15 and a high score of 43, Buttler was a shadow of his former self with the bat.
Throughout the tournament he has found himself on the border with England at difficult times. 33 for three against India, 68 for three against Sri Lanka, 38 for four against South Africa and 68 for three against Afghanistan. At 103 for three against Australia the situation was not very different, but England were well in the match. It was a moment when they needed Buttler to bat, but they got Buttler to captain.
A man with a million thoughts racing through his head and without any semblance of the clarity of mentality or consistency of pure quality that has built his reputation as one of the best white ball hitters in the world.
Thirty days after England’s defeat to New Zealand at the same venue in the tournament opener, Buttler was asked at the end of the press conference how he felt personally, considering England had lost five on the trot.
Ben Stokes was caught clearing the bowling of Australian spinner Adam Zampa
England were given a faint hope when Pakistan pulled off a miraculous victory over New Zealand
“I’m having a great time, thank you,” he said, with barely the sign of a man who believed what he said.
‘Yes, frustrated. Yes, disappointed. Yes, all of the above,” he continued.
The time for frustration and disappointment is now, but if England are finally put out of their misery in a week’s time when they get the plane out of India, the frustration will not be enough and decisions will have to be made.
After leading England to the T20 World Cup in Australia last winter, he has earned the right to defend that crown next summer, but Buttler will be 37 when the 2027 ODI World Cup rolls around. And given the events of the past four weeks, that decision may not be one he has to make.